Luntero

Glossary

Rental Application Process in the Netherlands

Applying for a rental in the Netherlands can be competitive, especially in major cities. Income checks, reference letters, and BRP registration are often required. We walk you through every step of the application process, plus tips to improve your chances of securing your dream home.

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Income Requirement

The minimum gross income a prospective tenant must earn to be considered for a rental property, a primary and often rigid screening tool used by landlords.

Application Process

Key Handover

The official moment at the start or end of a tenancy when the keys are physically transferred, which always coincides with the property inspection.

Application Process

Application Onboarding

The guided, step-by-step digital process that a rental platform uses to help you build and submit a complete and accurate rental application.

Application Process

Joint Application

An application submitted by two or more individuals who will live together as a single household, such as a couple or a family, and will be jointly responsible for the lease.

Application Process

Fraud Prevention

Measures taken by all parties in the rental process to prevent and detect fraudulent activity, from fake landlord scams to forged applicant documents.

Application Process

Landlord Due Diligence

The investigative process a landlord undertakes to verify an applicant's information and assess their suitability as a tenant, also known as tenant screening.

Application Process

Application Lottery

A selection method used for highly desirable rental properties where eligible candidates are chosen at random to ensure a fair chance for everyone.

Application Process

Landlord Statement

A reference letter from a previous landlord about a tenant's rental history, a standard but highly subjective screening document.

Application Process

Employer Statement

A standardized form completed by an employer to verify a prospective tenant's income and employment status, a cornerstone of the Dutch screening process.

Application Process

Group Application

An application submitted by two or more unrelated individuals intending to live together as housemates, which faces specific challenges and legal requirements.

Application Process

Referral Application

An application submitted with a recommendation from an existing tenant or contact, which can provide a significant but unofficial advantage.

Application Process

Application Fee Waiver

A request to bypass an application fee, a rare concept in the Netherlands as direct application fees are themselves legally questionable.

Application Process

Background Screening Provider

A third-party company hired by landlords or agencies to conduct detailed, automated checks on prospective tenants.

Application Process

Application Statuses

The different stages of a rental application, from submission to final decision, a process often marked by a frustrating lack of transparency.

Application Process

Employment Verification

The process of proving a stable and sufficient income, a critical and often brutally rigid step in the Dutch rental application process.

Application Process

Tenant Reference Letter

A statement from a previous landlord about a tenant's behavior, a commonly requested but highly subjective and potentially biased part of an application.

Application Process

Credit Report

A financial history check used by landlords to assess a tenant's payment behavior, often sourced from agencies like the BKR.

Application Process

Criminal History Screening

A controversial part of the tenant screening process where a landlord checks for a criminal record, raising significant legal and privacy questions.

Application Process

Financial Statement Provision

A requirement for a tenant to provide ongoing financial data to the landlord, which is highly unusual and invasive in residential settings.

Application Process

Rent Guarantee

A 'rent guarantee' involves a third party, often a parent, acting as a guarantor ('garantsteller') to cover the rent if the tenant defaults.

Application Process

Fair Tenant Screening

While landlords are permitted to screen tenants on financial grounds, discrimination based on origin or other personal characteristics is illegal but remains a serious problem.

Application Process

Secure Portal

A secure portal is a website or platform marketed by real estate agents as a safe environment for uploading sensitive application documents.

Application Process

Document Upload

Document upload is the process of submitting the extensive and highly sensitive personal and financial files required to apply for a rental property.

Application Process

Personal Reference

A personal reference is a statement from a third party, such as a previous landlord or an employer, used by agents to assess a prospective tenant's reliability.

Application Process